Mossburn
Encyclopedia
Mossburn is a small town in the northern Southland Region
of New Zealand
, south of Queenstown
and east of Te Anau
. In 2001, it had a usually resident population of 240, consisting of 129 males and 111 females. This constituted a 12.1% decrease in population since the previous New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
in 1996. There has been little change in the population in the 2006 census.
The town is located in a very scenic area, with the mountains of Fiordland
creating a beautiful backdrop. The town's main industry is agriculture, with many cattle
, deer
, and sheep farms nearby. Due to the amount of deer farming, Mossburn claims to be the deer capital of New Zealand.
Mossburn's greatest burst of economic activity came as a result of the construction of the Manapouri Power Station
. The Mossburn Branch railway had terminated in the town since 1887 and was the closest railway terminus to the project. Previously, the line had been served by two mixed trains of both passengers and freight per week (only freight after 4 October 1937) from Lumsden
on the Kingston Branch, but with the commencement of the Manapouri project as well as other government development programmes such as agricultural expansion, one and sometimes two trains would arrive daily from Invercargill
. By the start of the 1980s, these projects were complete and the railway closed on 13 December 1982. Few relics remain.
During the later part of 2006 and early part of 2007, a wind farm
at White Hill was constructed with 29 turbines each of 2.0 MW
. In total, it can produce enough electricity
to power 30,000 homes when at full capacity. This brought further local employment and financial benefits to the district. The wind farm was officially opened by the Prime Minister of New Zealand
, Helen Clark
, on 8 June 2007. This project has been greatly supported by the local community and created interest in New Zealand as an example of an alternative energy resource.
Dairy Farming has become another major industry of the area. Many large Dairy Farms have over the past 5 years been established. This transpires from the result in conversion from past Sheep and Other Mixed Farming activiies.
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, south of Queenstown
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
and east of Te Anau
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and second only within New Zealand to Lake Taupo. The 2001 census recorded the town's population as 1,857...
. In 2001, it had a usually resident population of 240, consisting of 129 males and 111 females. This constituted a 12.1% decrease in population since the previous New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings
The New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
in 1996. There has been little change in the population in the 2006 census.
The town is located in a very scenic area, with the mountains of Fiordland
Fiordland
Fiordland is a geographic region of New Zealand that is situated on the south-western corner of the South Island, comprising the western-most third of Southland. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the steep sides of the snow-capped Southern Alps, deep lakes and its ocean-flooded, steep western valleys...
creating a beautiful backdrop. The town's main industry is agriculture, with many cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, and sheep farms nearby. Due to the amount of deer farming, Mossburn claims to be the deer capital of New Zealand.
Mossburn's greatest burst of economic activity came as a result of the construction of the Manapouri Power Station
Manapouri Power Station
Manapouri Power Station is an underground hydroelectric power station on the western arm of Lake Manapouri in Fiordland National Park, in the South Island of New Zealand...
. The Mossburn Branch railway had terminated in the town since 1887 and was the closest railway terminus to the project. Previously, the line had been served by two mixed trains of both passengers and freight per week (only freight after 4 October 1937) from Lumsden
Lumsden, New Zealand
Lumsden is a town in Southland, New Zealand. Lying in a gap in the surrounding hills, it is the location of a major junction halfway along the north-south road from Queenstown to Invercargill, where it is crossed by the east-west road from Gore to Te Anau. The town had a population of 453 as of the...
on the Kingston Branch, but with the commencement of the Manapouri project as well as other government development programmes such as agricultural expansion, one and sometimes two trains would arrive daily from Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
. By the start of the 1980s, these projects were complete and the railway closed on 13 December 1982. Few relics remain.
During the later part of 2006 and early part of 2007, a wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
at White Hill was constructed with 29 turbines each of 2.0 MW
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
. In total, it can produce enough electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
to power 30,000 homes when at full capacity. This brought further local employment and financial benefits to the district. The wind farm was officially opened by the Prime Minister of New Zealand
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
, on 8 June 2007. This project has been greatly supported by the local community and created interest in New Zealand as an example of an alternative energy resource.
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Dairy Farming has become another major industry of the area. Many large Dairy Farms have over the past 5 years been established. This transpires from the result in conversion from past Sheep and Other Mixed Farming activiies.